Recycled glass tile contributes to posh green design

For a girl's bathroom in a private residence in Demarest, NJ, a combination of custom glass mosaics from Mixed-Up Mosaics of New York, NY, and "Jelly Bean" recycled glass floor tiles from Fireclay created a chic yet environmentally friendly design.

While the design of a young girl's bathroom in an upscale home in Demarest, NJ, is vibrant and full of personality, it is also an example of designing with the environment in mind. Tile and stone designer Anna Marie Fanelli of Floor & Décor in Tenafly, NJ, introduced her client to custom glass mosaics and recycled glass floor tiles that are not only fashionable, but are also considered to be green products.

"The objective for this project was to be creative and innovative with the tile and stone materials that are available today," said Fanelli. "The client was very fashion conscious and wanted her new residence to reflect her personal style."

Additionally, the owner of the 20,000-square-foot home had a strong desire for color. "The use of color was also very critical in the design aspect of this project," said Fanelli. "The client liked bright colors, which was important when designing the spaces for this home."

When designing the bathroom, Fanelli envisioned creating artwork out of tile on one of the walls. She elected to use custom glass mosaic tile in shades of orange and white from Mixed-Up Mosaics of New York, NY. The tiles were also the inspiration for the color scheme of the bathroom and adjoining bedroom.

"The home has a traditional facade, but the client is more stylish," explained Fanelli. "She is more contemporary. The bathroom reflects this style. Tile design to me is art work. I wanted to create a jagged wall out of glass tile."

For the floor in the main area of the bathroom as well as the shower, Fanelli chose Jelly Bean Glass from Fireclay, which is a green product made from recycled glass bottles.

The custom glass from Mixed-Up Mosaics consists of recycled content, and the artists use recycled water in the production process. "Mixed-Up Mosaics' premise on how to operate a company is green," said Fanelli. "These artists are environmentally conscientious, as the glass used is from local sources and any unused glass is utilized for other projects."

According to Fanelli, the custom glass was creatively used on the shower walls and on the tray of the ceiling to create an exciting tile design. "The client loved the creative aspect of the tile design and the different mediums that were utilized to create the design," she said. "It is very tactile in feeling."

For the floor in the main area of the bathroom as well as the shower, Fanelli chose "Jelly Bean" Glass from Fireclay, which is a green product made from recycled glass bottles. "Fireclay makes these pebble-like tiles out of clear Coke bottles that are thrown into landfills," explained Fanelli. "They are tumbled and look like tumbled stone. They call them Jelly Beans. They make beautiful flooring."

In addition to the decorative mosaics, 4- x 12-inch white tiles called Ghiaccio from the Sugheri Collection by Italian tile manufacturer Cerasarda were employed for the interior walls in the bathroom and shower.

In addition to the decorative mosaics, 4- x 12-inch white "Ghiaccio" tiles from the Sugheri Collection by Italian tile manufacturer Cerasarda were employed for the interior walls in the bathroom and shower. "The unique Italian tile looks like a handcast tile and has a stylish glaze which adds to the beauty of the tile design," said Fanelli.

The final result of the bathroom design illustrated that aesthetics do not have to be sacrificed for green design. "The client didn't have a strong desire to go green, but we ended up using green products because they were stylish for her," said Fanelli. "She evolved to being green. The client was thrilled that green materials were used while at the same time looking stylish with textures and colors."

Recently, Fanelli was recognized for her green building efforts on the bath design. She was awarded in the "Green Bath" category of "PROJECT: Green," which recognized outstanding use of tile and stone in sustainability-driven projects. This competition was sponsored by Coverings 2010, the largest U.S. tile and stone exhibition and Environmental Design & Construction magazine.

In the December 2016 issue, we look at some highlights of the Marmo+Mac 2016, and the new renovations of the Freemasons' Hall in London, England. We also present some new products, technology updates, machine of the month, and stone of the month.

For this issue, we are excited to share with you four features that focus on using compact and ultrathin slabs in both residential and commercial projects. As these products continue to gain popularity, we wanted to share different ideas of applications, including an upscale dining environment in the interior of a Saks Fifth Avenue.